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Registering an industrial design in Mexico protects the visual appearance of your product — its shape, configuration, pattern, and ornamentation. Our team at Brealant manages the application from representations through to a fully examined registration with IMPI.
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Legal Definition of a Registered Design
A design registration under the Ley Federal de Protección a la Propiedad Industrial protects a dibujo industrial (an ornamental two-dimensional pattern) or a modelo industrial (a three-dimensional shape), based on representations filed with the application.
Purpose and Function of Design Registration
IMPI conducts substantive examination automatically as part of standard registration, giving an initial 5-year term, renewable in further 5-year blocks up to a maximum total of 25 years.
Protecting Your Product's Appearance
Unlike some jurisdictions where enforceable rights need a separate certification request, a Mexican design registration is examined for novelty as a standard part of the grant process.
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Contact
Discuss your product and design features with Brealant.
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Search
We run a design search to confirm novelty before filing.
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Quote
Receive a service quote based on the number of designs and product complexity.
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Pay
Proceed with secure payment for the selected services.
File
We prepare compliant representations, specifying the product, and lodge the application with IMPI.
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Wait
IMPI conducts formal and automatic substantive examination of your design.
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Response
You receive confirmation once the design registers, typically within 1 to 2 years.
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In Mexico, a registrable design must be new, protected through representations — drawings or photographs — filed with the application and specifying the product it applies to. Because registration involves automatic substantive examination for novelty, getting the representations and product description right the first time is the clearest way to a smooth registration.
A registered design gives you documented, dated proof of ownership over your product's appearance and the ability to stop competitors from copying it — protection that isn't reliably available through trademark or copyright alone. Because Mexico examines novelty automatically at grant, Brealant manages the application so it's positioned to clear examination cleanly.
Certain elements cannot be protected through design registration, including
Function Alone
Features dictated solely by the product's technical function, rather than its appearance, generally aren't protectable as a design.
Non-Novel Designs
Designs identical or similar to something already publicly disclosed before filing.
Your Own Prior Disclosure Outside the Grace Period
Designs you've already sold or shown publicly more than 12 months before filing generally lose novelty.
Methods or Ideas
Underlying methods, ideas, or concepts, as opposed to their specific visual expression.
Internal, Non-Visible Features
Features not visible during normal use of the product are generally excluded.
IMPI's substantive examination tests each application against these requirements before registration is granted.
A registered design in Mexico protects various visual elements of a product. The protection extends to
Shape
The three-dimensional form and configuration of a modelo industrial.
Configuration
How the parts of the product are arranged relative to one another.
Pattern
Ornamental two-dimensional patterns applied to the product, protected as a dibujo industrial.
Ornamentation
Decorative features and finishes applied to the product's appearance.
By partnering with design experts in Mexico, you can ensure your product's appearance is properly documented and protected from copying.
The registration process typically involves
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Filing
The application, with representations and a specified product, is lodged with IMPI.
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Formal Examination
IMPI checks the application meets formal requirements.
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Substantive Examination
IMPI automatically examines the design for novelty, without a separate request being needed.
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Registration
The design registers, giving an initial 5-year term from the filing date.
Because substantive examination is built into standard registration, the process typically takes around 1 to 2 years from filing to grant, depending on IMPI's workload and whether objections arise.
The cost of design registration depends on the number of designs filed
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IMPI charges an official filing fee per design, in Mexican pesos, plus granting and maintenance fees payable once the design is allowed.
Brealant's professional fee covers preparing representations and filing, quoted upfront based on the number of designs.
IMPI's substantive examination tests each application against these requirements before registration is granted.
Once registered, a design can be renewed in 5-year blocks up to a 25-year maximum term, and actively monitored for copying. Brealant supports clients through each of these stages to maintain strong, enforceable protection.
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An initial 5-year term from the filing date, renewable in further 5-year blocks up to a maximum total term of 25 years.
Yes — IMPI conducts both formal and automatic substantive examination for novelty as a standard part of registration, with no separate certification request needed.
Only if the disclosure falls within Mexico's 12-month grace period before filing — outside that window, prior disclosure can destroy novelty.
The overall visual appearance of a product resulting from its shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation, covering both dibujos and modelos industriales.
Typically around 1 to 2 years, since every application undergoes substantive novelty examination as a standard step.
Both individuals and legal entities, Mexican or foreign, can apply; non-resident applicants must appoint a Mexican-domiciled agent, a role Brealant fulfils.
Clear representations or drawings of the design from the required views, a product description, and applicant and designer details — Brealant prepares the full filing package.
Yes, related variants can sometimes be filed together as a multiple application, which we assess based on your product line.
You'll receive an office action explaining the grounds, which can often be addressed by argument or amendment before a final decision.
IMPI charges an official filing fee, in Mexican pesos, with the exact figure set by IMPI's current fee schedule — Brealant confirms this before you file.
Discover more insights and stay informed about the latest in intellectual property with Brealant's blog. From expert advice on trademark registration and patent protection to strategies for safeguarding your brand in a competitive market, our resources are here to empower your business. .
Explore our blog to learn how effective IP management can strengthen your brand's position and protect your innovations
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